The Arunachal Pradesh government will soon launch a programme to promote football in 200 schools of the state, Education Minister Taba Tedir said. The Football for School programme, a first-of-its-kind initiative, will aim to groom budding talents in the age group of six to 13, he said, according to a report by PTI.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was inked between FIFA and the Union Education Ministry to promote football among children, Tedir said. "Every state has been asked to prepare a plan for the initiative. We held a meeting on Monday (November 21) on the issue. Officers of the Education and Sports departments, and members of the Arunachal Pradesh Football Association (APFA) were present in the meeting," he said.

"Schools having playground and physical education teachers will be selected for the initiative. We will also see that schools having more than 50 to 100 children in the prescribed age group are given preference," the minister said, as per PTI.

The Union Education Ministry and FIFA would provide support for the programme, he added. The APFA is working on the programme, aiming to start it in December, and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan would launch it in the state, Tedir said. All India Football Federation (AIFF) Treasurer Kipa Ajay added that Arunachal Pradesh will be the first state in the country to have such a programme. The initiative would help popularise football in the state, he hoped.